


Connections Near and Far

by squidgie



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode: s01e17 Letters From Pegasus, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-07-16 16:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7275010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squidgie/pseuds/squidgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set immediately after S01E17, "Letters from Pegasus", this goes into why John didn't record a message for anyone back on Earth - and marks the beginning of John and Rodney's closeness.  Pre-slash.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Connections Near and Far

**Author's Note:**

> Not Betaed!

After the message for Sumner's relatives was recorded and the stream of data sent through the Stargate back to SGC, John's nerves were on edge. He didn't feel like being around people, but at the same time, he didn't feel like being alone. Shaking his head in a vain effort to loosen the morbid thoughts, he takes a deep breath and goes in search of Rodney. They'd grown closer during their time on Atlantis, and even though John was more apt to be alone, he was growing to like Rodney's company more and more.

Grabbing a couple of beers from his quarters, John walks over to Rodney's quarters and waves his hand over the sensor. After a brief pause, the door opens and John finds Rodney sitting on his bed, fingers furiously tapping on the keyboard of his laptop. "Yes?" he asks, barely acknowledging John.

John just stands there, the two beers hanging from the plastic rings swaying at his side. "Hey, Rodney. Thought you might wanna," he says, hiking a thumb over his shoulder. When Rodney doesn't respond, he adds, "Go have some beer on the pier."

"Beer on the pier?" Rodney says as he slides the laptop to the quilt that covers his bed, then pushes the cover shut. "What is this? High school?" he adds as he stands, his arms going to his hips as he stretches out his back.

Rolling his eyes, John suppressed the desire to flip Rodney off and instead says, "Just thought you might want to hang out. You know, like as a friend. You don't have to insult me, _McKay_."

"Who said I was insulting you?" Rodney asks as he swipes a beer from John's side. He raises it, then gives John a look. With a lopsided smirk, he adds, "Though I will _gladly_ insult your taste in beer."

"Shut up," John says with a shake of his head, "and get your ass outside."

They walk in silence to the pier, John sitting down first and enjoying the sun-warmed metal. He pats the patch next to him and says, "Take a seat." He watches as Rodney eyes the ledge with no small amount of trepidation. "Don't worry - if you fall over, you'll die from the fall _long_ before you succumb to hypothermia."

"Great," Rodney says as he gingerly sits down. "Just the confidence I need."

They sip their beer as the sounds of the waves rolling against Atlantis' hull make their way up and wash over the pair. "You think it'll work?" John finally asks.

He doesn't have to prod Rodney on exactly what he means. And when he turns to Rodney, he's nodding his head, though he finishes with a shrug. "Probably, yeah. May take them some time to decipher it, but the notes I sent unencrypted should help." 

"Cool."

"Yeah," Rodney agrees. "But you know even if they _can't_ , at least we got messages back to our families."

"You did?" John asks.

"Yeah. Sister," Rodney responds. "What about you?"

"Didn't," John says as he takes another sip.

Rodney's forehead scrunches up as he gives John a curious look. "But you recorded a message, right?"

Nodding, John says, "Yeah. To Colonel Sumner's family."

Considering John's words, Rodney asks, "So what - are you like an orphan?"

John doesn't hold back as a laugh, though he knows it must sound morbid to his friend. "No," he finally replies, shaking his head. "I mean my mom's dead, but my dad's still alive. I've got a brother." He takes another sip, and morosely adds, "Not that it does me any good."

He knows that Rodney's staring at him, so he puts the beer can between his thighs and lets out a heavy sigh. "It's a big, ugly mess. And I'd _rather_ not talk about it, okay?"

Rodney nods his head and gives John a few minutes. "Well family's not always blood you know," he says. "Sometimes it's who you're with that matters. Teyla. Ford. Elizabeth. Carson." Rodney takes another sip of beer, then quietly adds, "Me."

Turning his gaze to Rodney, John studies his friend for what he thinks is far too long. But he finally says, "You. _You're_ what matters to me, Rodney."

The smile he gets in return is all the response he needs.


End file.
